A delegation from the European Commission visits the quantum computer, co-financed by the European Union, an essential part of the Basque Government's strategy in the field of these technologies

• The conference served to present on the ground one of the most emblematic investments of the RIS 3 Euskadi 2030 smart specialisation strategy

The IBM Quantum System Two quantum computer, inaugurated last October in the Ikerbasque building in Donostia, was visited today by a delegation from the European Commission and representatives of the Directorate General for European Funds of the Ministry of Finance. The event, organised within the framework of the Basque Country ERDF 2021-2027 Programme, served to present on the ground one of the most emblematic investments of the RIS 3 Euskadi 2030 smart specialisation strategy, as well as to confirm the high level of implementation of European funds in the Basque Country.

The visit to the computer, co-financed by the European Union in the framework of the contribution to the fulfilment of the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), was led by Vicente Rodríguez, Senior Expert of the Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission, and Anais Vega and Pedro Cortegoso, from the Directorate General for European Funds of the Ministry of Finance. The Basque Government's Deputy Regional Minister for Science and Innovation, Adolfo Morais, hosted the conference, which was also attended by the Deputy Regional Minister for Financial Policy and Budgets, José Corchón, and the Director of Economic Policy and European Cohesion, Juan Alberdi. The institutional representation was completed by the provincial deputies for the Treasury of Gipuzkoa and Araba, as well as the heads of the Basque Government's science and innovation area.

The scientific director of the Basque Quantum strategy, Javier Aizpurua, was in charge of guiding the attendees through the facilities and explaining the Basque strategy in the field of applied quantum technologies, in which the IBM Quantum System Two is an essential part. During his speech, Aizpurua stressed that this quantum computer "represents a key asset for the strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty of the European Union; an industrial tool designed to transform strategic sectors of the economy by offering computing capabilities impossible for conventional systems".

Today's visit is particularly relevant in the context of the European Union's strategy to achieve technological sovereignty in the field of quantum computing. This facility is in line with the priorities set by the EuroHPC Regulation and with initiatives such as the European Framework Partnership Agreement Pilot Line, which establishes long-term collaborations to promote the transition of quantum technologies from research to industrial production, in which the Basque Country collaborates through the Basque Quantum strategy.

A visit that confirms the good progress of the programme

During the tour, the Deputy Regional Minister for Financial Policy and Budgets, José Corchón, stressed to the European representatives that these new facilities are an example of how we in the Basque Country "understand how we should build Europe; by committing to innovation, promoting the strength of joint work in favour of a closer, more efficient and cohesive policy for the benefit of citizens".

He went on to highlight the value of the Basque management model: “We have proven our ability to implement and certify the entirety of the previous programme, even in a context marked by Covid-19. This is what we offer Europe: efficiency, rigour and transparency.”

Corchón recalled that, by the end of 2025, the Basque Country had certified 58.4 million euros from the ERDF 2021-2027 programme, far exceeding the minimum threshold required by the n+3 rule. "This guarantees that every euro invested will benefit citizens: in training, in support for SMEs and in the modernisation of public services," he added.

The Deputy Regional Minister explained to the delegation that this quantum computer is not an end in itself, but is "fully aligned with the Innovation Beacons of the Science, Technology and Innovation Plan 2030, which guide our action towards technological, digital and energy transformation".

Deputy Regional Minister Corchón also took advantage of the presence of the EU authorities to reiterate the Basque Government's position on the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034. The Basque Country welcomes the fact that competitiveness and innovation are placed as strategic axes, but rejects the creation of a single national plan per Member State, calls for a thorough review of the Commission's proposal and reiterates the firm commitment of the Basque institutions to continue collaborating with the European institutions in order to strengthen the European project and preserve its fundamental values. "This unification distorts the specific objectives of each policy and undermines, de facto, social and territorial cohesion. We defend maintaining the regional programmes with their corresponding allocations and their space for direct dialogue with the European Commission," he warned.

For his part, the Deputy Regional Minister of Science and Innovation, Adolfo Morais, emphasised that the fundamental contribution of this infrastructure focuses on providing companies, as well as public institutions with competences in technological development, with preferential access to the latest generation quantum computing services and infrastructures. "All of this will serve as a platform for the development of projects and use cases that, among other things, will optimise business processes by reducing time and costs, enable complex problems to be solved more efficiently and facilitate the exploration of new solutions, products and services that are not feasible with the current classical computing systems.

In this regard, Morais stressed that "the quantum computer reinforces the competitiveness of the Basque Country and Europe, strengthening their resilience and productivity. It constitutes a strategic investment in future capabilities that will ensure the adaptation of the economic, industrial and technological base to the ecological and digital transitions, including those contributing to the goals and objectives of the EU's Strategic Agenda for the Digital Decade 2030 and to the drive for innovation in deep technologies".

"The Basque Quantum (BasQ) strategy offers us the opportunity to promote European and international leadership from a triple perspective: to have a solid system; to have the most advanced technology; and to develop our own science and technology that will place us on the path towards techno-scientific sovereignty", he concluded.

Today's meeting also served as a prelude to the 6th Monitoring Committee of the ERDF Programme, which will be held tomorrow in Bilbao and in which the expenditure forecasts and new projects that will continue to consolidate the Basque Country as a benchmark in innovation within the European Union will be discussed in greater detail.